Everyone ready to get to that riverboat tournament?

Mike: Yeah.

Micky: Ready!

Davy: I am, too!

Alex: *cracks his knuckles* Let’s play some poker! :D

(We open in the now-normal-sized Mustang. Emma is squeezed in the back between Lauren and Davy.)

Mike: Are you sure you're ok, Em?

Emma: (Sighs) Baby, for the sixth time, I'm fine. No one touched me, not even Sheila.

Mike: (He leans over and takes her hand) Darlin', I was just worried. Those guys were real big an' real stupid...

Emma: (Frowns) Sheila wouldn't let them hurt me. I don't think she was happy about it, but they never did worse than tying me to that tree. They were supposed to be bringing me to the riverboat, but they stopped and robbed these poor women, then decided they weren't going to make it to Junctionville before dark and opted to camp out.

Mike: We know about the women. We found them on the highway.

Emma: Are they all right? I feel really sorry for them. They had all those kids...

Mike: That's where we're goin' now. We fixed their van for a share of their cash.

Emma: Mike, how could you? Take money from orphans and their caretakers?

Mike: Hey, we did a job for them! We fixed the car! We found the money! We deserve it!

Emma: (Growls; turns to Micky) Mick, talk some sense into him. This is so wrong!

Mike: Who brought up the money first?

Emma: It's just...there has to be some other way to earn it!

Micky: We've already been trying to figure out other ways...

Mike: Em, we're doin' what we can, ok? I could probably reschedule the gig we had to cancel tonight and line us up some other gigs while we're here. That should fill a lot in.

Emma: By the way, what was with the animal thing back there? Just felt like doing an animal romp?

Mike: We needed disguises.

Emma: You could have worn sheets and scared those guys to death.

Mike: I didn't want them runnin' off to Sheila and tellin' her where we are. (Nods at the street) Ok, we're back in Junctionville. After we get the money, we're gonna go home to the kids and I'm gonna call my buddies and see if I can reschedule the gig we canceled and get us some more.

(They pull up to a large, rambling old white building on a street in Junctionville, across from the school.)

Emma: There's the van.

Mike: Em, you come with me. I'm gonna talk to the head of the teachers. The rest of you can go to the bar and wait for us there. We'll try puttin' the money in another bank in a place less likely to get robbed tomorrow.

(Alex, Lauren, Zelda, Davy, and Daphne head down the street to the bar. Mike and Emma go into the orphanage. Fade in on the bar. The group sits in the back booth again, sipping drinks and eating a very late dinner. Mike and Emma finally come into the bar. Emma smirks. Mike grumbles.)

Mike: (Slams the money down on the table) I only got $200.

Emma: He got what your services were worth, no more. The woman agreed that she should at least pay for the repairs on the van.

Mike: Damn it! (He plops down next to Micky)

Micky: You at least got something.

Emma: Mike, it's only fair. She needs that money for the kids.

Mike: Yeah, well, I'm runnin' out of options. I could probably talk to Aunt Kate and net us some gigs over the next few days.

Emma: Didn't the boys find some gold coins in the desert? The coins and the antique pipes and Depression glass should be worth something, too.

Davy: Yeah, we've got the coins.

Mike: We wanted to go sightseeing with the kids anyway. We could take them into Junctionville tomorrow and sell the coins and antique stuff. We could probably bring Aunt Kate, too. She might know how to get a good price.

Emma: And there's another question I want to ask. (Turns to Alex and Sheila) What's Sheila up to now? I heard her talking to someone on the car phone in the limo. They must have been important. Sheila didn't even argue with them.

Mike: How's Sheila with poker?

Emma: Probably a genius, knowing her.

Mike: I'm thinkin' she might be tryin' to keep us from the game.

Emma: Gee, what tipped you off? The bank robbery?

Alex: *shrugs* She THINKS she can play, but she's not one to worry about.

Mike: I've seen Nyles play. He'd never make it past the first round.

Emma: She may send a confederate, though. Someone who'll help her make sure that she gets that money under any circumstances.

Mike: (Looks at his watch) We need to get home to the kids. Aunt Kate has to be worried sick! I'll talk to the bartender about rescheduling and call some more people tomorrow.

Emma: We weren't supposed to be out NEARLY this long!

Mike: (Turns to Alex and Zelda) I could probably get Aunt Kate to give you guys a cabin. She's used to my cousins turnin' up unexpectedly. We'll just say you're distant relatives of Micky's.

Alex: Whatever works.

Emma: (As Mike gets up to pay the tab; looks at Zelda and Alex) You know, I can't shake the feeling there's someone else involved with this. This isn't Sheila's style.

Davy: I don't know, Em. Sheila's kidnapped and sent weirdos after us before.

Emma: (Sighs) Still...

(They head out as Mike pays the tab.)

(Cut to a few days later. The three Monkees perform "Hollywood" on a stage at what looks like a large local carnival. Emma, Katie, and Robbie are in the crowd. Emma holds Robbie, who watches his father rapturously. Katie's too busy working on her cotton candy to watch.)

Kate: I'm sure glad they got this bookin', Em. The rodeo committee loved it when they were here last time. Biggest crowd they drew in years.

Emma: This is the biggest crowd they've played to in years.

*Alex Zelda play War with a deck of cards. The twins are busy watching them, as Lauren holds Leah, looking on. Daphne holds Lizzie, who's working on a piece of fried dough.*

Kate: Are you sure you wanna take the kids on this riverboat cruise?

Emma: Sure. It'll be fun.

Katie: I know riverboats ain't notorious gamblin' dens anymore, but I think they're really too young for boats.

Emma: Nonsense! They'll be fine! They'll have the whole crew and all of us adults to watch them. (Under her breath) It's the adults I'm worried about.

(Micky and Davy come off the stage as Mike goes behind it.)

Emma: You guys were GREAT!

Micky: It was nothing.

Kate: The head of the rodeo was glad you decided to play again. They were thrilled the last time ya'll played for the show.

Emma: Where did Mike go?

Micky: He went to get our paychecks.

Emma: We have to get going. The twins can go around on the roller coaster one more time, but after that, we have to go home and get our stuff together for the big riverboat trip tomorrow.

Katie: We're gonna ride a boat!

Emma: As soon as your father... (Eyes widen; nudges Micky) Hey, don't those big guys look a little like some of the goons from the other day? The ones who escaped? The police never did find them.

Micky: Oh man! That's them, all right.

Emma: We have to get Mike. Daphne (she turns to Daph), you, Davy, and Aunt Kate take the kids home.

Kate: Why? What's wrong?

Emma: We have to tell Mike something.

Katie: What's wrong, Mama?

Robbie: Uh oh. Papa?

Emma: I need to talk to Papa and tell him something very important. Auntie Kate will take you home. (Hands Robbie to Kate)

(Emma, Micky, Lauren, Zelda, and Alex go behind the stage, but the area is empty.)

Emma: Darn it! Where is he?

Lauren: He couldn't have just disappeared.

Emma: Here's his hat. (She picks up the same tan-colored suede cowboy hat Mike had worn onstage)

Zelda: But where's he?

Emma: (Points - she sees some of the men dragging Mike towards the end of the park where the rodeo is being held) There they are!

Zelda: (Winces when one of the men backhand Mike) Damn, what did he do to them?

Emma: I don't know...

Micky: *groans* Oh no. I think I DO know.

Emma: What? What did Mike do this time?

Micky: We kinda switched out their money for fake money.

Zelda: Damn. Brilliant.

Emma: But it won't make the bandits too happy.

Zelda: (Raises her eyebrows) Or Sheila, for that matter.

Alex: But it IS funny.

Emma: It won't be funny if those guys kill Mike...or worse.

Alex: Well, no...

Emma: Come on, guys! We have to get the drop on them, before they drop my husband off the face of the planet.

(Cut to a lone tree in the prairies outside the park. Mike stands on a rickety-looking crate, a noose around his neck, his wrists bound tightly behind his back. The men surround him, sometimes taking swipes at his heels.)

Mike: Now come on, guys! This ain't funny!

Bandit #1: This ain't 'posed 'ta be funny.

Bandit #2: Boss lady and her boss had our hides for bringin' that fake cash!

Mike: Guys, we can talk this over...

Bandit #1: We're tired of talkin' things over with you, Skinny. The Big Boss says we can tan you' hide any way we want to.

Mike: The Big Boss?

Bandit #1: Yeah. The Boss Lady's big boss. He wants ya to be cryin' in the streets, boy.

Mike: I thought you couldn't get any bigger than the Boss Lady!

Bandit #1: Oh, he's big. He's so big, don't no one know who he is, 'cept the Boss Lady. He wants you to be humiliated. Says to take away the knight's honor, or whatever. (Smirks) My pleasure.

Mike: WHAT? Hey! (He struggles) You know, you could get life for this!

Bandit #1: Yeah, and I could get killed by the Boss Lady. I think I'll take my life.

Mike: Come on, guys! I could give you the opportunity of a lifetime here!

Bandit #1: We've had enough of your sweet-talk, Skinny.

Bandit #2: Maybe he's tellin' the truth!

Bandit #1: Remember what the Big Boss said? He's a sneaky one. He could charm the skin right off the back of a rattlesnake.

Mike: Aw, thanks.

Bandit #1: That weren't meant to be somethin' nice, Skinny. I've had just about enough of you. (He reaches out to kick the crate holding Mike...when something is thrown against his leg, knocking him over as "Tapioca Tundra" begins.)

Mike: (Over the music) Guys? (Emma and Zelda hurry over to untie his wrists and get the noose off his neck.)

Emma: We saw them come out here with you, and we knew there was trouble!

(Emma and Zelda use the rope to tie two of the bandits to the tree.)

(Mike chats up another bandit, waving money under his nose. He grins.)

*Micky and Alex play a game of PattyCake, then punch out the two bandits watching them.*

(The largest bandit is confronted by Lauren. She tries to take a swipe at him, but he easily gets around her.)

*He picks Lauren up and tosses her into Micky and Alex, knocking down all three. The large bandit makes a break for it.*

(Mike tries to go after him, but he only throws him over his shoulder.)

(Emma and Zelda tie up the last of the bandits as the music ends and the others join them.)

Mike: Damn it, that last guy got away. I think he's the ringleader.

Emma: We need to call the police to pick up these. Did you see where the other one went?

Mike: No, I was too busy eating prairie dirt.

*Lauren, Micky, and Alex have finally untangled themselves and are getting up.*

Mike: Are you guys ok?

Micky: Oh, fine, we were just...

Alex: ...playing Twister.

*Micky and Alex glare at each other, then break up laughing.*

Lauren: Heaven help me.

Mike: Guys, we need to talk. There's someone else involved in this. Sheila has a new boss.

Emma: I thought she was the boss.

Alex: *folds his arms* They're probably working in tandem.

Mike: Sheila's apparently takin' her orders from him...and he don't like me much. The big guy said he wanted to embarrass me. "Take away the knight's honor."

Micky: Weird.

Emma: Whomever this is obviously has some kind of grudge against you, Baby. (Turns to Alex and Zelda) Do you two know anything about this?

Alex: No. She must've felt she needed someone else to help her after we walked out.

Mike: I've been pickin' up weird vibes for months now...and I'm wonderin' if this is it.

Emma: There's only one way to find out. We have to get on that riverboat.

Mike: (Holds up his paycheck) Thank goodness they didn't try to take these. They just wanted to stretch my neck.

Emma: How much is in the account?

Mike: Enough to get us into that tournament (smirks) and even prime rooms on the riverboat.

Emma: We have to get home and get the kids packed.

Mike: And make sure we're entered in that tournament. We're gonna find out what Sheila's up to if it kills us.

Emma: Mike...don't say that.

Micky: Please.

(Mike nods towards the park, and they head back to the rodeo to call the cops...but they don't notice the car on the edge of the park. The Bandit storms over to the car.)

Bandit #1: Milady, that damn Skinny did it again! Him and those look-a-like Curly-Qs and their women. They called the cops on my men.

Sheila: (Opens the window) Relax, Lester. You'll get your revenge...and so will the Big Boss. We're going to enter the tournament.

Lester: I thought you said you didn't want those side-windin' kids an' knights and whatever joinin' the tournament!

Sheila: I didn't. (She smirks) Don't worry, Lester, they won't join the tournament. The Big Boss will see to that. He'll make sure we get that money.

Lester: How can he be so sure?

Sheila: He knows, Lester. The Big Boss knows. (She opens the door for him and he gets in. The limo drives off as we fade out.)